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What a chillaxed couple of days we've had in Chiang Mai. It's been filled with amazing temples, numerous pad thai, and cocktails & Chang beer alongside the hotel pool. I have actually been looking in the Situations Vacant today for teaching jobs but have had no luck thus far. And yes of course the once-in-a-lifetime holiday experience would translate well into day-to-day living! How could you think otherwise!?
Last night for dinner I dragged the unsuspecting family to a macrobiotic vegan restaurant - hehehe. Before they had a chance to protest the food was out and we were all happily chowing down on lentil salads and tofu stirfries. It wasn't as earnest as it sounds and sitting cross-legged on the ground around a small table amongst the trees and lanterns with all sorts of interesting wildlife around us was a great experience. Unfortunately we also experienced the gnarly mosquitoes (not the dengue fever & malaria ones) and man are they brutal!
We've been to three of the 'must see' temples in Chiang Mai and have not been disappointed. Yesterday was the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a half hour drive up the Doi Suthep mountain. It was stunning. We all experience feelings of awe, ignorance and amazement in these new situations - ignorance is usually me. I was a bit mortified that I unwittingly used the "Monks Only Toilet" by mistake. It was written in big English writing too, what a doofus. If you're not even meant to sit on the same seat as them, and hop off the footpath if a monk comes towards you I'm not sure what the cultural offence is caused by using one of their toilets. I took heart that Buddha doesn't seem to be a particularly vengeful god!
Today was the Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang and sitting in the Wat Phra Singh with the monks all chanting away was an amazing experience.
Afterwards we headed to the Royal Gardens. They were stunning and you could easily spend a whole day wandering through there. Unfortunately at midday in 36 degree heat we wilted fairly quickly and succumbed to an open air bus tour instead.
Tonight has been another successful wander through the night markets - successful for the vendors & kids anyway, not so successful for Mum & Dad's wallets.
Tomorrow we have a cooking class where we're taken into the markets to buy the ingredients and then out to a farm where we make our own lunch. Might be a good idea to stuff a few extra pastries in the handbag at the hotel breakfast tomorrow.
Pic of the day is Andrew and Emerson at Antique House for lunch alongside the Mae Ping river. This restaurant is where I discovered that some cocktails are served in hollowed out pineapples, how have I lived for 34 years without realising this happened.
- comments
Lisa Sounds amazing! cocktails,pools,heat,yummy food..wish i was there! enjoy the cooking class then the elephants the next day? Cant wait to hear about that! Ox
Sas Swanson No more sleeps Milla. A great big happy birthday. What an exciting place to have a birthday. Love Mormor
Dave Swanson Happy birthday to you Milla! What a wonderful place to have a birthday. We are enjoying reading about your trip. We wonder what kind of birthday cake you'll have in Thailand!! Love Gramps and Delwyn xxx
jillian dobbs HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILLA. Hope you have a great day, i wonder if you will have a cake with 9 candles on it. ??? Love you darling Nana and Poppa. xxxxxx
Aunty Arnya and Uncle Dayne Happy Birthday Milla! This will be one to remember I'm sure! We hope you had a lovely day. Did you get a Thailand themed birthday present? A pet monkey perhaps? Look forward to hearing all about it xo Love Aunty Arnya and Uncle Dayne